Rod-weeder.



H. A. FAGER.

ROD WEEDER.

APPLIQATION FILED SEPT. 1. 191a.

Patented July 24-, 1917 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E F T H. A. FAGER.

' ROD WEEDER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-1.1916.

Patented July 24, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

HARLEY A. FAGER, 0]? WHEELER, WASHINGTON.

ROD-WEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24:, 1917.

Application filed. September 1, 1916. Serial No. 118,066.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARLEY A. FAGER, a citizen of the United States residing at \Vheeler, in the county of Grant and State of \Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rod-lVeeders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a rod weeder.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of weeding implements and to provide a simple, practical and efficient rod weeder of strong, durable and inexpensive construction designed for weed ing summer fallow wheat land, and to pre pare seed beds for alfalfa, clover, etc., and similar cultivating operation and capable of cleaning the ground and packing and leveling the surface and subsoil.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rod weeder equipped with a horizontal rod or member adapted to run from approximately two to five inches underground and capable of ready adjustment to vary the depth to suit the requirement of the land under cultivation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure. 1 is a plan view of a rod weeder constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the rod weeder.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the lever holding bracket.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view through one end of the axle and the adjacent carrying wheel.

Like numerals of reference designate cor responding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, the rod weeder comprises in its construction an axle 1 preferably constructed of gas pipe or other tubular metal and receiving on its terminal portion the hubs 2 of carrying wheels 3 which turn loosely on the axle being secured in proper position against longitudinal movement by collars 4; but any other suitable means may of course be employed for mounting the wheels on the axle and while tubular metal such as gas pipe is preferably employed largely in the construction of the weeder, any suitable material may be used and the size and strength varied to suit the character of the implement and the particular work for which it is designed.

' Suitably connected with the ends of the axle are side bars 5 of a weeding frame composed of the said side bars 5, vertical side plates or pieces 6, a horizontal weeding rod or member 7 and an upper transverse connecting rod 8. The side bars 5 which may be constructed of any suitable material are angular and consist of inclined rear portions and approximately horizontal front portions, the inclined rear portions being provided at their rear ends with perforations 9 arranged at intervals and adapted to receive pivot bolts 10 and permitting an adjustmentof the weeding frame. The pivot bolts 10 are preferably in the form of eye bolts having eyes 11 at their inner ends for the reception of a transverse bolt 12 and provided with threaded outer portions for nuts 13 which secure the rear ends of the side bars on the pivot bolts of the axle. The transverse bolt pierces the axle a short distance from the end thereof and while this form of connection is preferably employed for securing the parts of the weeder to the ends of the various tubular rods or members any other suitable fastening means may, of course, be employed. The side plates or pieces 6, which are secured by bolts 14 or other suitable fas tening devices to the front ends of the side bars 5, extend upwardly and downwardly from the side bars and form upper and lower arms, the lower arms being connected by the weeding rod and the upper arms being con nected by the said upper rod 8. The weeding rod 7 which travels below the surface of the ground when the weeder is in operation,

preferably consists of a solid rod having a small diameter and the connecting rod 8 is preferably constructed of tubular metal. The side plates or pieces 6 are supported by end braces 15 arranged at an inclination and extending downwardly and rearwardly from the fastening means for securing the upper arm of the plates or pieces 6 to the rod orbar 8 and provided at their rear portions with perforations 16 arranged at intervals and adapted to receive the fastening means for securing the braces to the side bars 5. The weeding rod is supported by a central or main brace 17 of approximately L-shape provided at its angle with a perforation 18 for the weeding rod 7 and consisting of an approximately short vertical arm which extends from the weeding rod 7 to the connect ing rod 8. The upper terminal of the short approximately vertical arm of the main centrally arranged brace 17 is suitably secured to the rod 8, and the other arm of the said brace 17 is arranged at an inclination and extends from the weeding rod to the center of the axle 1, being secured to the frame by bolts 20 or other suitable fastening means which also secure a bracket 21 upon the said axle 1. The brace is adapted to firmly hold the intermediate portion of the weeding rod 7 in proper position with relation to the relatively stout upper connecting rod 8 and it adds strength to the weeding frame. The rear end of the long arm of the brace is de signed to be provided with perforations 22 for the reception of the fastening means, the

perforations 22 being arranged to correspond with the perforations of the side bars 5.

The machine is equipped with a draft attachment comprising a tongue 23, rear wardly diverging side pieces or arms 24 and a transverse brace 25 which is preferably constructed of tubular metal. The diverging sides or arms have parallel rear terminal portions 26 which are pivoted to the upper arm of the side plates or pieces 6 by the bolts 27 which secure the said side plates or pieces to the connecting rod 8. The bolts 27 for securing the side pieces 24 to the connecting rod 8 and also to the transverse brace 25 are of the same type as the bolts 10 heretofore described. The front terminals of the side members or arms 24 of the draft attachment are secured to the tongue in advance of the rear end thereof and the transverse rod or brace 25 is centrally connected to the rear end of the tongue and is secured at its terminals to the side members or arms 24 at the front ends of the parallel portions 26.

The draft attachment is pivoted or hinged to the weeding frame at the front thereof and it carries an operating arm or lever 28 disposed longitudinally of the machine and secured at its front end to the upper face of the tongue and extending upwardly and rearwardly therefrom, to a point above and in rear of the axle. The rear portion of the operating arm or lever is received within the bracket 21 which consists of a base or attaching portion 29, a central vertical stem 30 and an approximately U-shaped upper portion 31 formed by its spaced upwardly extending arms and having perforations 32 transversely alined and adapted to receive a fastening device 33 for confining the rear portion of the operating arm or lever in the bracket. The fastening device 33 consists of a bolt or pin and the weight of the draft attachment will maintain the said operating arm or lever against the under side of the fastening device. The rear end of the operating arm or lever is equipped with a chain 34 which is adapted to engage a hook 35 projecting upwardly from the rear portion of a platform 36. The platform 36, which may be constructed of wood or any other suitable material and which is provided for the accommodation of the driver, has side bars or levers 37 secured intermediate of their ends to the axle and extending in advance and in rear of the same, the platform being supported by the rearwardly projecting portions of the side bars or levers 37 and the front ends of the latter being connected by rods 38 with the front connecting bar 8 of the weeding frame,

the rods to accommodate the adjustment of the weeding frame, but any other suitable connection may, of course, be employed for this purpose. The driver stands upon the platform and the weeding frame may be readily elevated out of the ground by lifting the lever or operating arm. The lever and the weeding frame will come up with ease and when lifted it may besecured in such elevated position by the chain which adjustably engages the hook of the platform. The transverse pin or bolt of the bracket is readily removable to permit an adjustment of the operating arm or lever. The weight of the driver operates to counterbalance the weeding frame and the draft attachment in the adjustment of the weeder, but when the parts are adjusted and locked or fastened, the weeding frame and the draft attachment are maintained firmly in their relative adjustment.

The weeding implement has been found particularly satisfactory in getting rid of Russian thistle and Jim Hill mustard, the worst weeds with which the western wheat farmer has to contend.

What is claimed is 1. A weeding implement of the class .described including a wheeled axle, a weeding frame pivotally connected with the axle and comprising forwardly extending side bars, arms projecting upwardly and downwardly from the side bars, an upper transverse rod connecting the upper arms and a lower transverse weeding rod carried by the lower arms and arranged to travel below the surface of the ground.

2. A weeding implement 0f the class described including an axle, a weeding frame pivotally connected with the axle and composed of side bars having angularly related front and rear portions, approximately ver tical side members extending upwardly and downwardly and forming arms, a lower weeding rod connecting the lower arm, an upper rod connecting the upper arm, in clined side braces extending from the upper arm to the side bar, a main approximately L-shaped central brace connecting the said rod and extending from the lower rod to the axle and a draft attachment connected with the upper arms of the weeding frame.

3. A weeding implement of the class described including a wheeled axle, a platform extending rearwardly from the axle and having forwardly projecting arms, a weeding frame pivotally connected with the axle and having a transverse weeding rod arranged to travel beneath the surface of the ground, means for connecting the arms of the platform with the weeding frame, a draft'attachment pivotally connected with the weeding frame and means for adjusting the latter.

4. A weeding implement of the class de scribed including a wheeled axle, a platform supported by the axle, a weeding frame pivotally connected with the axle, a draft attachment pivotally connected with the weeding frame and having a rearwardly extending operating arm, and a bracket mounted on the axle and having spaced upwardly extending arms arranged to receive the operating arm and having means for engaging the same.

5. A weeding implement of the class described including a wheeled axle, a platform supported by the axle, a weeding frame pivotally connected with the axle, a draft attachment pivotally connected with the weeding frame and having a rearwardly extending operating lever, a bracket mount ed on the axle and having spaced upwardly extending arms arranged to receive the operating lever and having means for engaging the same, a chain connected with the operating lever and means mounted on the platform for engaging the chain.

6. A weeding implement of the class described including an axle, wheels mounted on the axle, a platform carried by the axle and having forwardly extending arms, a weeding frame pivotally connected with the axle and having upper and lower transversely disposed rods, the lower rod being arranged to run beneath the surface of the ground, means for connecting the arms of the platform with the upper rod and a draft attachment connected with the weeding frame.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HARLEY A. FAGER.

Witnesses:

EDGAR DRY, J. E. BAssnrT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

